ALTMARCK CASE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23591, 27 February 1940, Page 7

ALTMARCK CASE

NORWEGIAN REPLY GERMAN CAPTAIN'S LIE QUESTION OF ARBITRATION By Telegraph—Pressi Association—Copyright (Received February 26, 6.36 p.m.) OSLO, Feb. 26 The Norwegian reply to the British Foreign Secretary, Viscount Halifax, regarding the German prisonship Altmarck, says : "The Altmarck was stopped in territorial waters on February 14. Her anti-aircraft guns had been taken down. "A Norwegian torpedo-boat later stopped the Altmarck and asked whether she had any persons on board belonging to the navy of another belligerent, or any seamen who were subjects of another belligerent. The captain replied 'No.' "The captain refused to allow a search when the Altmarck was stopped a third time, claiming immunity as a uaval auxiliary. "The Norwegian Government emphasises that the Altmarck had not called at Bergen or any other Norwegian port, and therefore no question of the 24-hour time limit arose. Neither the Hague Convention of' 1907 nor the Norwegian neutrality regulations of 1938 stipulate a time limit for passage. Britain has strongly maintained the right to passage for warships, notably in a letter of May 23, 1939.

"Norway understands the British feelings regarding the humanitarian aspects of the treatment of the prisoners, but a neutral Power must base its actions upon positive stipulations in treaties or in international law.

"Norway proposes; arbitration of' a kind to be mutually agreed upon if Britain maintains her attitude." •

Britain accused Norway of failing in her duty as a neutral in permitting the Altmarck to make use of Norwegian territorial waters to convey British prisoners to Germany. Norway protested to Britain at the violation of her neutrality when H.M.S. Cossack rescued the 299 prisoners from the Altmarck in ' Josing. Fjord, and demanded the return of the prisoners. Germany protested to Norway at tho insufficiency of the protection given the Altmarck, and demanded the restoration of the status quo on board the Altmarck, compensation for the damage, and strong action against Britain. NO WATCH ON FJORD. BRITAIN DEMIES REPORT (Received February 26, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON. Feb. 25 A report from a foreign source, that three British aircraft circled over Josing Fjord on Sunday afternoon, apparently seeking for the Altmarck and other German vessels, is without foundation. No British aircraft was engaged on 'any such task.

CIVIL DEFENCE EXERCISES IN ENGLAND SUPPOSED AIR RAIDS (Received February 26, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON. Feb. 25 The biggest civil defence exercises ever held in Britain were staged in the south of England to-day, when 12,000 persons took part. Two towns were presumed to have been raided by enemy bombers.

The Minister of Home Security, Sir, John Anderson, and the regional commissioner for civil defence, together with many technical oxperts, carried out a thorough inspection which lasted the whole day. For the first time in such exercises the practice of bringing in reinforcements from outside areas to assist areas badly damaged in raids was carried out. Fire brigades, ambulances, first aid parties and demolition squads hurried into Southampton :from places as far ,west as Poole and as far north -as Andover to co-operate with the local services.

Commenti?ig on this side of the exercises, Sir John Anderson said it was an essential part oft the air raid precautions organisation. The quickness and thoroughness with which the outside areas responded showed the value of the scheme. Sir John saw several incidents arranged to test the various services. One was the rescue of "casualties" from a burning building on to which an aeroplane had fallen. A dummy aeroplane with swastika markings was used, and soldiers and civilians acted as "casualties." Ambulance units took part in the exercises and moved several hundred "casualties" to another town where they were put in a hospital train. ATLANTIC CLIPPERS NEW ROUTE TO EUROPE BERMUDA BEING OMITTED NEW YORK, Feb. 25 Pan American Airways, Limited, announces that after, March 15 • the company expects to omit Bermuda from its Clippers' Atlantic (lights to Europe. The company explains that the placing of two coastguard vessels in midAtlantic to furnish weather reports, which was announced on February 3, has enabled Bermuda to be eliminated. The announcement does not mention the British inspection of United States mails at Bermuda., which caused a storm of protest, but it, is assumed that this was an important factor in the decision. After March 15 the Clippers will leave in the afternoon instead of in the early morning. The five-hour saving in transit time is to permit of their arrival in Europe on the following afternoon at the customary time.

Official quarters disclaim knowledge of the company's action, and insist that the company reached the decision on its own responsibility, siays the Washington correspondent of the United Press. NAZIS' RUSSIAN ALLY BERLIN, Feb. 25 German Army chiefs attended a banquet at the Soviet Embassy to celebrate the Bed Army's anniversary. General Brauchitijch made a speech, ii\ which he said thab the whole world,, particularly Germany, j was following the development of the military might of the Soviet.